| Overall Grade: |
B+ |
|
| Story: |
B |
|
|
| Acting: |
B+ |
|
|
| Direction: |
B |
|
|
| Visuals: |
B+ |
|
|
Could pair up with "Sicko" for a Gitmo Movie Night
by ThomasC (movies profile)
May 11, 2008
13
of
17 people found this review helpful
John Cho and Kal Penn, our lovable minority stoners, are back on the big screen (just a few days late of 4/20), but as the tagline eloquently states, "this time they're running from the joint". The simpleness of 2004's "White Castle"--which has since become required viewing for every teenager, young adult, and minority--is replaced in "Guantanamo Bay" by racial and political issues, while still maintaining Harold and Kumar's love of marijuana, sex, and toilet humor. It's one of the few sequels I've seen recently that doesn't disappoint, mainly because it sticks to the original's formula. The film picks up where "White Castle" left off, with the two traveling to Amsterdam to find Maria, the girl of Harold's dreams. At the airport, Kumar surprisingly finds old flame Vanessa (Daneel Harris) who is to be married to a guy who looks like he stepped out of a Ralph Lauren ad. Makes sense. First movie was about Harold's love interest, second is about Kumar's. When Kumar attempts to smoke a bong on the airplane, he and Harold are accused of being terrorists (the passengers hear "bomb" instead of "bong", the smoke is assumed to be poisonous gas) and are sent to Guantanamo Bay, hence the poetic title. The two escape under the most bizzare of circumstances, and are tracked by racist, ignorant Homeland Security officer Ron Fox (Rob Corddry) to the reluctance of dorky Dr. Beecher (Roger Bart). Through their journey to safety, Harold and Kumar encounter a boatful of illegal immigrants, get caught in a KKK meeting, attend a "bottomless party", meet a redneck couple with an inbred son, smoke pot with George W. Bush, and get rescued by Neil Patrick Harris again. "Guantanamo Bay" ups the vulgarity and raunchiness by 100; it is definitely not for the weak-hearted. However, if you're paying to see this, you pretty much know what you're getting into. I reccomend the film because I had a blast, there wasn't a minute the audience wasn't in hysterics. The humor remains at the same maturity level, Cho and Penn deliver the same earnest, lovable performances, and a good time is had by all. Some may be put off by the more serious tone compared to "White Castle", but "Guantanamo Bay" actually makes some relevant social commentary and is quite courageous for a mainstream movie. Corddry's exaggerated racism is one of the highlights of the film (he taunts a black man with a can of grape soda and a Jew with a sack of coins), but consider the fact that these issues are real. The "Harold and Kumar" movies are farces, but remember there is still racism and stereotyping and human rights violations everyday. But also remember: there is no funnier sight than that of Neil Patrick Harris on a unicorn. I'd give this a B+ |
My Public Profile 
